Strong
by America.Underwater
Summary: Bella Swan is not how she was portrayed in the Twilight saga. She's independent and sexy. She is also the victim of abuse and watched her mother die at the hands of her alcoholic step father. Will this broken girl find happiness? Jasper/Bella,rated T,OOC


Far off in the distance of an exhausted mind, I can hear my alarm clock screaming at me. Lifting my head, hair in a tangled mess, I look over at the horrible device and bring my fist down onto the OFF button. My attempts at making the noise stop worked, until the clatter of plastic kissing the hardwood finished waking me up. Arching my back and stretching my arms above my head, I sit up and lean over the edge of my bed to access the damage to my alarm clock.

Thankfully, the plastic demon is okay with just a cracked screen and a frayed cord. I throw the blankets away from my body and climb down from my bed, now aware that my father is standing in the doorway with an amused smile. Picking up the alarm clock, I set it back on my night stand and turn to face my dad.

"I heard the crash; just thought I'd check up on you." I smile at my dad and he shuts the door behind him, leaving me to ready myself for my first day at the awful Forks High. I've lived in Forks for about a month now, but between getting settled, dealing with my mother's tragic death, and ignoring the death threats from my step dad, I haven't had time for school.

Charlie has been lenient, but last night, he'd put his foot down. He told me that if I didn't start going to school, then I would have to go back to Phoenix to live with Phil, my step dad. That plan was out of the question, so I complied, with a little bickering and mumbles under the breath. Charlie doesn't know about Phil's abuse, nor does he know that I watched my mother die, and I intend to keep it that way.

Stretching my thin, pale arms above my head, I arch my back and yawn; stiff from sleeping on my stomach, I guess. Stumbling over to my closet, I pull open the door and rub my eyes before blinking and scanning through my wardrobe. I don't have much that is appropriate for Forks weather, so I still need to go shopping, but the little that I have will work for now.

Plucking a royal blue V-neck tee and a pair of dark washed skinny jeans from their hangers and the other necessary garments from my dresser, I pick up my toiletries bag from my desk and make my way to the bathroom across the hall. To my great pleasure, I don't have to share a bathroom with my father, so I can leave my tampons sitting out as much as I want. Giggling at my own thoughts, I strip down and turn on the water, pushing the PLAY button on my iPod dock.

After dancing – moving my hips and trying not to fall – and singing in the shower, I blow dry my hair and dress myself for the day. Rubbing the steam away from the mirror, I look at myself and smile. My dark brunette hair is wavy and long, almost to my waist, and my chocolate eyes are wide and bright this morning. My skin is pale and it's accented by my dark hair and eyes, but I think that it makes me look like a specter – a very tired, bruised specter.

Lifting up my shirt, I frown at the purple and blue bruises that still stain my pale skin. Phil really did a number on me the night that I told him I was leaving. Sighing, I let the fabric hide the proof of the abuse and retreat downstairs to grab something small to eat before I need to leave. I pass my father on the stairs and he smiles at me, noticing that I'm looking better.

Opening various cabinets until I find the Special K bars, I begin to imagine what my first day will be like. I will definitely be stared at, especially with the metal in my face. Grinning, I absently brush my finger tips over the two small silver studs that protrude just under my bottom lip. Charlie had been surprised, but he said that he liked them; said they gave me "character".

Taking a large bite out of my breakfast bar, I look at the clock on the stove and jog upstairs to get my things. With the bar held between my lips, I pull on my slip-on Vans and grab my messenger bag, tucking my cell phone into my pocket. Tossing the wrapper in my trash can by the door, I carefully make my way downstairs to get my keys and say goodbye to Charlie. Today should be a damn good day.

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**A/N: Kind of short and uneventful, but there will be much more to come(: R&R**

_**Word Count: 810**_

_**Pages: 2**_


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